Oh, the people I meet
by P.M.Hall
Summary: Iroh remembers his encounter with Princess Yue of The Northern Water Tribe. Mostly summarizes the season finale of the first season. I wrote this for an Avatar fan fiction contest on a site called Zbends. The contest ends on the 19th of july


**Oh, the people that I meet**

Oh, the people that I meet. I have met many people while I have walked this earth, some good, some bad, some I see again,  
others I meet only for a moment. Then like a vapor of smoke they disappear from me, and I from them.

One of the most remarkable people I have met was a beautiful young woman from the Northern Water Tribe. Though she was young, she carried terrible grief that was far beyond her years. Her hair was snow white, and her eyes were sapphire blue, she was extremely troubled when I met her because her home was being invaded. It looked like it was the end, The Moon Spirit had just been slain. An unfortunate tragedy that I tried and failed to prevent.

She was with The Avatar and his friends, she seemed to have given up all hope. "It's too late, it's over." "NO! It's not over!" I watched amazed as The Avatar walked into the middle of the pond, melded with The Ocean Spirit, and sank into the depths, and then moments later emerged as a gigantic walking spirit fish creature that shown an incredible light from its core.

While The Avatar went off to save The Northern Water Tribe, I stayed behind with his friends. I tried to revive The Moon Spirit, but it was too late. Then I noticed that this young woman had some of The Moon Spirit's life force inside of her. When I voiced this, she immediately knew that she was supposed to give back the life The Moon Spirit had given her. The young man that I had seen so often with The Avatar tried to stop her, but despite his pleadings she sacrificed her life, in an instant she had gone, and the young man caught her in his arms as she fell.

I felt awful, someone so young and so pretty should not have to give up their life, and when I saw how grief stricken this young man was over her death, I was reminded of how I felt after my son Lu Ten had died. How I felt before that, when my wife died, and my son lost his mother. I wanted to comfort him, but what could I say, we were enemies. He was helping The Avatar, and I was aiding my nephew in his never-ending quest for The Avatar and his honor.

Then something truly wonderful happened, the young woman's body vanished while the young man was still holding her in his arms. Then she reappeared as a pearly white spirit, her entire body, swaying as if in a breeze. "Good bye Sokka, I'll always be with you." And after giving him a kiss, she disappeared, and the moon returned to the sky.

I sighed as I stared up at the moon, then I walked away. I found my nephew sitting on a bridge staring down into the water. He didn't look up as I approached, but he spoke to me while he continued to stare down at the water. "Uncle, Zhao is dead." From his tone I knew that he was feeling grief over it. I didn't say anything, but Zuko continued to speak. "I tried to save him, but he wouldn't let me." "Prince Zuko, he sealed his own fate long ago. There was nothing you could have done for him, even if he did want your help. When you attempt to become better than the spirits, you will always suffer for it in the end."

I grabbed his shoulders, and tried to steer him away, but he would not budge. "I'll never get my honor back now." I had a sickening feeling that he was thinking of following after Zhao. "Zuko" I pleaded, "Do not give up, you may still regain your honor. Remember this Zuko, honor is something that nobody, but yourself can take away. Do you remember when I said that even in exile you still had more honor than Zhao? You proved me right, you tried to save him, even though he was your sworn enemy. Please Prince Zuko let's go." At last he allowed himself to be steered away.

We reached a little raft I had procured, and then we proceeded to set sail. "I'm surprised Prince Zuko, surprised that at this moment you are not trying to capture The Avatar." "I'm tired" he replied simply. "Then you should rest, a man needs his rest." As he lay down and closed his eyes I wondered if he was finished chasing after The Avatar.

A long while later when I myself could no longer stay awake, I was visited by the beautiful young woman who had become The Moon Spirit. "I wanted to thank you for helping me save my people." I was so awed that I could not reply, as soon as she had appeared she vanished. I must of let out some kind of noise, because Prince Zuko woke up. "Uncle?! What is it?" "It's nothing" I answered, knowing that he would not believe what I had just seen. Prince Zuko rolled over muttering something about how annoying it is when people talk in their sleep. I lay back down, but I did not sleep.  
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